Journey's End: Wilmot's Half-Decade Pursuit to Earn the 'Blue Ribbon'
The Wilmot Cancer Institute in Rochester is moving closer to achieving a prestigious designation from the National Cancer Institute (NCI). This coveted recognition, often referred to as the "blue ribbon" for a cancer center, requires renewal every five years.
The journey towards this milestone began back in March 2016, when a group of dedicated doctors, nurses, researchers, and staff at the institute set a goal to apply for a P30 Cancer Center Support Grant (CCSG) from the NCI in 2021.
Paula Cupertino, recruited to build the Community Outreach and Engagement office, has been instrumental in this process. Her experience from another NCI-designated center has proven invaluable.
The high incidence rate of cancer in the region underscores the need for the institute to address this pressing issue. A data-tracking tool developed by Wilmot Cancer Institute revealed that the region has one of the highest incidence rates of cancer in the country, particularly among certain populations.
The NCI-CCSG grant application was uploaded in September 2021, and the review process is currently underway. The institute's director, Friedberg, is going into the next stage of the review process with confidence, believing that Wilmot Cancer Institute belongs in the NCI-designated cancer centers group.
If the NCI does not designate Wilmot Cancer Institute in 2022, Friedberg is proud of the improvements made to the center, including a deeper understanding of the regional cancer burden, new research collaborations, community outreach programs, and increased clinical trials efforts.
The strategic recruitment drive for physicians and scientists at Wilmot Cancer Institute has been focused on bolstering research programs intentionally. Every person recruited has been important, and some of the younger ones are now getting their first grants.
The caliber of people recruited was expected to be from NCI-designated centers, and many of them would not have come without the possibility of NCI designation. The grant, if awarded, would place Wilmot Cancer Institute in a group of 71 NCI-designated cancer centers in the U.S.
Civic leaders, including the new mayor of Rochester, Malik Evans, have shown strong support for NCI designation. Evans, who has personal connections to Wilmot Cancer Institute, sees the pursuit of NCI designation as aligned with his vision for improving Rochester.
The NCI designation comes with a research grant for infrastructure, salary support, new equipment, support for clinical trials, and education. Patients prefer to be treated at an NCI-designated center because of the interaction between physicians and scientists and the top doctors who want to work there.
A decision on the grant is expected in the summer of 2022. If successful, it will be a significant step forward for Wilmot Cancer Institute and the Rochester community. The institute will join the likes of the Winship Cancer Institute of Emory University, which received a grant from the NCI in 2022, contributing to its recognition as a cancer center with a blue designation.
